Monday, June 29, 2015

When senior managers announce a significant change,
their goal is to get employees on board in the hope that they will embrace and
support the change. When employees react with confusion, fear, uncertainty, or
question the change, managers mistakenly see this behavior as “resisting
change”. They forget that they went through the exact same process. They
had more time to deal with it and are now ready to move on.

This “lagging effect” of how people respond or organizational change is
called “The Marathon Effect”. It’s an important change model for leaders
to understand when planning and leading change.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Bad decisions can ruin an organization and
kill careers. Have you been given feedback that you need to improve your
decision making? If so, you are not alone. Managers often get poor grades from 360
degree feedback assessments in the areas of quality and timeliness of
decisions.

Decision making, like any other managerial or
leadership skill, can be improved.

Read
more for tips and techniques on how to make better, faster decisions.

Please retweet the articles, share them on Google Plus, like them on
Facebook, or forward the newsletter.You can follow me on Twitter: @greatleadership
or email me with suggestions for articles at: danmccarth@gmail.com.

Monday, June 15, 2015

We start with a new article over at
About.com on how
to run better team meetings. Follow these 10 tips and you’ll have
more productive team meetings where your employees walk away feeling engaged
and valued.

One-on-one meetings are another way
for managers to demonstrate leadership. Follow these
12 tips to learn how.

To create a shared vision, you need to
get others involved in creating the vision. Read
more to find out how.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

I was a girl
scout.My brothers were boy scouts.Naturally, we used to argue about which had
better programs, handshakes, rules, etc. One thing we didn’t have to argue
about was mottos, because they were the same: “Be Prepared”.

Leaders today,
former scouts or not, would do well to heed the scout motto, especially when it
comes to change.Last time I checked,
the inevitability of change was one of the few things we could count on not
changing.Given that, it is remarkable
how many people and organizations are ill prepared for it.Here are 5 ways in which you can Be Prepared
for change.

1. Know
Your Culture, and Take Responsibility for It

Change
is hard, for people and for organizations.People and companies that get good at it are intentional about creating
a culture that embraces constructive change.They have what I call Organizational Readiness: The condition of being
prepared, culturally and structurally, for significant change, or having in
place the foundations for accepting and participating in constructive
transitions.What is the culture of your
organization?As a leader not only
should you know, but you should be part of the force creates conditions for
change readiness.As Peter Drucker says,
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast”.The best laid plans and strategy will fail when confronted with a
culture that resists what needs to happen to execute on them.But as Ralph Waldo Emerson says, “Culture is
one thing and varnish is another”.Be
prepared for employees and departments that give the impression of change
readiness, but who in fact are adding a varnish to send you looking another
way.

2. Practice
Change Resistance Awareness

One of the
most common organizational roadblocks to change is the well-known NIH (not
invented here).You may hear it as “We
don’t do it that way.”When you hear
this it is a cultural roadblock you need to work to clear.If you have been with the organization for a
long time, you are no doubt aware of historical ways of doing things, and in
some ways have a leg up on helping people being understand why the old ways
must change.But as often as not you are
a newer player seeking, or even brought in, to change the old ways of doing
things.Clearing this attitudinal
roadblock requires listening intently and generously to understand what did
work about the old way, and why individuals reject newer ways.Taking the time to understand those who have
to change will increase the odds of getting by in for the new way.First cousin to NIH is the “We Are Not
Broken” attitude.This attitude can be a
more powerful argument for not changing than NIH because on the surface things
often do not seem broken.

3. Embrace the Power of Interim Leadership

When there is a change in leadership, a period of interim
leadership with a skilled interim leader from the outside can facilitate organizational
readiness for change. Organizations often appoint the closest available inside
person to be interim. These folks have great institutional knowledge and can
keep current projects on track, but they are not as well positioned to evaluate
organizational readiness for change as is an outsider, especially one skilled
at interim work. It takes a special
skillset to move into an organization, without the presumed authority of
position, know where to go to “find the buried bodies,” and work independently
as needed. And interims that have no interest in the permanent position can be
more objective in their evaluations.

4. Remember that Personnel
Is Personal

I
remember a case study from my MBA studies, which laid out a situation where a
manager had to choose one of two candidates for a promotion and overseas
assignment.The candidate who was more
qualified had tremendous personal challenges to relocation, including resident
invalid parents.Many students thought
the obvious choice was the guy who was most able to make the move, given he did
have the basic skills needed. The right answer was to pick the absolute best
candidate without second guessing the personal because you can never know all
of the facts.In fact, the candidate
with the elderly parents had recently decided to move the parents to a facility,
making a move possible.Likewise, I know
a leadership team that was working on succession planning and failed to plan
for departures among those execs with certain long-term incentives.They figured they were locked in and wouldn’t
leave.In fact, for personal reasons,
one of the most valuable of these team members did in fact leave early.It turns out money was not the driver.Personal issues were.The point is it’s always personal for your
employees when it comes to change.And
while you need to remember that and anticipate personal change and preferences,
it is critical to appreciate that you can never know all of the facts. Plan for personal factors to contribute to
change, and in ways you don’t expect.When planning on the people side of change, have alternative plans
prepared.

5. Know What the
Organization Can Handle

Different
industries have different requirements for change. A tech firm not expecting to
move at a rapid pace can expect to be eclipsed. Also, different employee bases have different
appetites for change. Planning for change at a big bureaucracy that is
dependent on large staffs of long-time workers requires deliberation and a
slower pace. Different owner structures
also have different change values. Family-owned companies can often follow a
path of change that brings results more slowly than can publicly traded
companies. As a leader you need to understand these differences and drive
change at a pace that is right for your company.

When
it comes to building a culture of change, leaders would be well served to
channel their inner scouts, boy or girl.Follow these 5 tips and Be
Prepared for ongoing change.

Author
Bio:

Nancy Falls is a founder and CEO of The Concinnity Company, a
boutique advisory that transforms the way boards and leadership teams work
together. With more than thirty years of experience in and around the C-suite
and the boardroom, Falls is a leadership and governance expert who understands
what it takes to drive authentic success. Falls is a Governance Fellow of the
National Association of Corporate Directors. She and her family live in
Nashville, Tennessee. She is the author of Corporate
Concinnity in the Boardroom: 10 Imperatives to Drive High Performing Companies.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

The
Star Wars franchise has seen numerous leaders, including great ones of the
dreaded Dark Side. With Star
Wars: The Force Awakens coming out late this year, we will see new and old
leaders take the big screen with various styles of leaderships. There are many
definitions of leadership, but sometimes the best way to define something is to
explain what it is NOT.Looking at the
common myths and misconceptions can shed light on the truths that can set us
free as leaders and help us unleash the best kind of success in an
organization.

Myth #1: I can use my motivation to help
others be motivated

Make
no mistake! One of a leader’s key responsibilities is to motivate others, to
“rally the troops.” But what motivation are you using? The operative term here
is “my motivation.” What motivates the leader does not necessarily motivate
everyone else in the organization. This can be a real stumbling block for
leaders as they make assumptions about why their employees do what they do.

Most
of the time, leaders are just not digging deep enough to determine why it
matters to employees. But having that complete understanding of the reasons
people behave the way they do is crucial for a leader’s – and company’s –
success. Yoda nailed this in the head. He took the time to understand and
influence those he led. He continuously asked questions encouraging others to
think. He engaged them in their thoughts and ideas to truly understand what motivated
them. By getting to know your employees like Yoda got to know his students, you
can help employees make positive choices when deciding what behaviors to use –
all based on THEIR motivations, not yours.

Myth #2: My job as a leader is to get my
team on board

Most
leaders think that their job is to get everyone in the company to think like
they do. Align everyone to the company vision and mission. Get them all
speaking the same vernacular to go onward and upward to productivity and
profits. Create uniform processes so that everyone does everything the same way
in perfect, efficient harmony. But as soon as this occurs, it starts to become
solely about the leader, starting the steps towards the Dark Side.

Certainly
there has to be a team mentality, a loyalty to the company and to each other,
but to be successful, companies should be full of free thinkers. Sure, Darth
Vader has ultimate respect from all of his followers, but not for good reasons.
They respected him out of fear. He didn’t approve (to use the lightest word)
when people spoke up or had different thoughts or ideas than him. If someone
disagreed with him, they knew to keep their mouths shut or expect Vader to use
the force to choke them to death. Darth Vader had the power and respect, but remember how he ended
up? Yeah.

As a
leader you should aim for diversity of thought by welcoming opposing viewpoints
and be open to new ideas. I think you’ll find that’s where some of your best
ideas come from.

Myth 3: Every argument has a winner and a
loser

This
sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? Surely this cannot be a myth. But
there is an alternate scenario, one in which everybody wins. The key is in your
approach. As decisions are made, some go one way, some go another – and as a
leader you’ve got to be okay with that. Have you heard of the term “right
fighter?” It’s someone who just wants to be right, that is what is most
important to them. Not success or solutions, just being right. If you are a
strong leader, you know that it just doesn’t work. Being right or getting your
way or winning the argument is not the goal, it’s not the path to success.
Recognizing and fostering a “we’re all winners” mentality is the best
self-fulfilling prophecy of all! Han Solo could be quite the narcissist, but he
had this down when it came to taking action. While under attack from Imperial
Forces, he made the decisions as a leader and Princess Leia and Luke followed.
It was not without digs and questioning from Princess Leia, but ultimately Han
Solo led his crew to safety and the argument definitely resulted in everyone as
a winner – and more importantly, a survivor.

So
tell me…can we agree to disagree? I think so.

We
want to know what you think. How do your personal motivations come in to play
with your leadership style? Do you ever fall prey to these myths?Are there other myths you’ve encountered?

Let us
know in the comment section below or connect with us on Facebook.

Good
luck in your leadership journey. May the force be with you.

About the Author

Brenda
Corbett is the co-author of Why It Matters – The Sherpa Guide to What
You Are Looking For, centered on a concept she created as an executive
coach. Your Why It Matters provides the inspiration for what you choose to do,
personally and professionally through four key points leading to your ultimate
sense of satisfaction. Based in Cincinnati, but working all over the world,
Corbett literally wrote the book on executive coaching, The Sherpa Guide: Process-Driven Executive
Coaching. It’s the foundation for certificate programs at 10 major
universities. Corbett’s next project will incorporate neuroscience research
into her executive coaching methods because it all starts with the brain!

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

When it
comes to leadership, is there such thing as too
much of a good thing? There sure can be! In fact, just about any weakness
can be attributed to one or more strengths that are overused.

In a recent
talent review meeting, the executive team was discussing the strengths and
development needs of a promising up and coming leader. One of her greatest
strengths was her customer focus. This was a company that placed a high value
on customer service, so that strength had served her well.

However,
this leader was developing a reputation for breaking too many company policies
and rules, alienating or bullying other departments, being too narrowly
focused, and not strategic enough. Her passion for taking care of her customers
at all costs was now turning into a
liability.

So yes, you can even be too customer focused.

Here are six
other common leadership strengths that when overdone can turn into leadership
weaknesses:

1. The results focused leader. This is the leader that gets things
done and delivers results. The downside? They often get results at the expense
of others, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. In the worst cases, they
may even cut ethical and legal corners.

2. The courageous leader. This is the leader that’s not afraid
to take a stand, makes the tough decisions, and stands up for what’s’ right.
However, when overdone, can come across as dogmatic, uncompromising and overly
critical, picking too many fights and burning too many bridges.

3. The caring, compassionate
leader.Yes, you can be too nice, especially when the leader can’t deal with
underperformers, avoids conflicts, and can’t make tough business decisions that
have a negative impact on people. They can also be taken advantage of and be
seen as naïve.

4. The empowering leader. This is the leader that gives lots
of room and freedom, is comfortable delegating, and takes a hands off approach
to managing others. When overdone, the leader may give too much responsibility to employees that are not ready for it, and
not enough direction to those that need it. They may also be seen as others as
avoiding doing any work themselves.

5. The motivational leader. This is the leader that knows how to
rally the troops and which buttons to push to get people energized. Could there
be a downside? Only if the leader pushes people beyond their limitations, burns
people out, or be seen as showing favoritism in their attempts to appeal to
what motivates each individual.

6. The visionary, brilliant leader. The Steve Jobs leader. They are the
brilliant strategists, masters of their domain, often the smartest person in
the room, and always one or two steps ahead of everyone. However, when
overdone, they may disregard the views of others, be impatient, and have
difficulty relating with those that may not be as smart as them (meaning just
about everyone!).

The lesson
here is when strengths are overdone, they can turn into weaknesses. While it’s
good to be aware of and leverage your strengths, don’t overuse your strengths
to the point where they can have negative side effects. Be open to feedback and
learn to “dial it back”, especially when under pressure.